This paper presents findings from the first phase of an ongoing case study to identify some key influences on behaviour related to energy use and the uptake of alternative clean cookstoves in households in Kibera, the largest informal settlement in Nairobi.

This paper examines the interaction between socio-demographic characteristics (electrical energy usage, population density, and percentage of owner occupied dwellings) and the ability of these characteristics to predict urban leaf area index using ordinary least squares regression (OLS).

In an attempt to beautify the Capital in time for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi has chalked out an ambitious project to upgrade street-lighting in Delhi at a cost of Rs.200 crore. In a statement on Tuesday, MCD Standing Committee Chairman Vijender Gupta said over 900 km of roads greater than 60 feet in width would be provided with ultra-modern streetlights based on international standards. "The lights and poles will be galvanised to prevent rusting. The new lights will illuminate a greater area and also reduce consumption of electricity due their energy-efficient technology. An automatic system of switching the lights on and off will enable monitoring of the lights from within the control rooms,' said Mr. Gupta. According to him, the lights will adhere to "IP68' specifications and will not be affected by dust, mosquitoes or moisture besides being metered.

While the residents of plotted colonies have been left to their fate, those living in condominiums are relatively better off. These compact residential blocks mostly have round-the-clock power back-up. But this comes at a price. In swanky apartment complexes like Hamilton Court, Windsor Place and Regency Park-II, residents pays 55 paise more per unit of electricity than what the state-owned DHBVN charges i.e around Rs 4.5 per unit. It is besides the monthly maintenance charge that they have to cough up. So, on an average, each unit of electricity costs about Rs 9 and can even go up to 18 at some places. The generators, with a maximum capacity of 7 MW, normally supply between 3.5 MW and 4 MW daily. They consume about 2,400 litres of diesel everyday. It's the same story at Silver Oaks, another apartment complex.

BHUBANESWAR: After launching a series of welfare and infrastructure development projects under the State scheme, the Government is going to launch another infrastructure programme called Biju Saharanchal Bidyut Yojana.

Pune As the Pune Municipal Corporation has proposed to take over the Peshwe Energy Park from the Maharashtra Energy Development Authority (MEDA), the famous Phulrani train, which will be completing 53 years of operation on April 8, will be back under PMC

Like other developed urban local bodies of the country, the Guwahati Municipal Corporation is also expected to get more teeth with the increasing necessity to implement the 74th constitutional amendment, advocating the empowerment of the local civic bodies. Whereas the demand for empowerment is growing from inside the civic body, the ambitious Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) has also made it mandatory to implement the 74th constitutional amendment, before granting sum for the urban infrastructure developmental projects to the city. The State government would be the implementing agency of the constitutional amendment. At present, the city is expected to get Rs 447 crores for its various projects. The sources in the GMC said that the State government might be interested in implementing the amendment in the coming days. "In a letter from the Guwahati Development Department (GDD), SN Barman, Joint Secretary to the Government of Assam has asked the GMC to furnish the detailed action plan and activity mapping on the 18 subjects concerning the civic amenities to be regulated by the urban local body after the amendment.' The government letter has also asked the GMC to give the details of expenditures on the 18 subjects till January 31, 2008. The eighteen subjects mentioned in the letter are urban planning, regulation of land, planning for economic and social development, road and electricity, water supply, solid waste management, fire service, urban forestry, safeguarding the interest of the weaker section of the society including the physically handicapped and mentally retarded, slum improvement, urban poverty alleviation, parks, gardens and playgrounds, protection of cultural, educational and aesthetic aspects, burial grounds and cremation grounds, cattle ponds, prevention of cruelty to animals, birth and death registration, street lighting, bus stop and public conveyance and slaughter houses, said the sources. In a recent rapid training programme that was held with the basic objectives of building awareness and understanding on the context, mission, objectives and significance of reforms under the JNNURM, the experts from the Administrative Staff College of India stressed on the need of introducing the 74th amendment and specially the role and requirement of political will in this regard.